Kirtling Street

From our Kirtling Street site in Battersea, we have launched two 8.8m diameter tunnel boring machines (TBM) from the bottom of the site’s shaft to dig the central section of the main super sewer tunnel. The TBMs excavate material known as tunnel spoil before installing pre-cast concrete segment rings around the edges of the tunnel to give the sewer its primary lining.

Ursula, the eastbound TBM, has completed approximately 6.3km of her 7.5km journey to our Chambers Wharf site in Bermondsey. Along her subterranean route, following the route of the Thames, Ursula has passed famed London landmarks including Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster.

TBM Millicent completed her 5km westbound journey to our Carnwath Road site in Fulham in November 2019 after a year of tunnelling. Since completing her journey, we have removed all the TBM’s supporting gantries and grouted the shield of the machine in place.

We are currently preparing to cast the secondary lining of the westbound section of tunnel by constructing secondary lining shutters on site. These shutters are giant moulds which move down the tunnel, around which we will pour liquid concrete, casting a 250mm thick cylinder of concrete against the walls.

If you have any questions about this or our site at Kirtling Street please get in touch with our helpdesk on 08000 30 80 80 or [email protected]  

What are our working hours?

24/7 working

As we are now in the tunnelling phase of construction, we are working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week across the site. 

Our most recent community liaison working group meeting for our Kirtling Street and Heathwall Pumping Station sites was held on Monday, 12 October. 

If you would like to join the next meeting, please get in touch via email at [email protected].

12 October, 2020 - CLWG Minutes 

12 October, 2020 - CLWG Presentation Slides

13 July, 2020 - CLWG Minutes

13 July, 2020 - CLWG Presentation Slides

Previous minutes are available upon request.

• There is a noise enclosure over the tunnel drive shaft as we have started works  
• All static machinery and plant is screened or enclosed
• Hoarding has been erected on the site boundaries
• Vehicle movements outside of standard hours are restricted
• Use of low level directional lighting
• The excavated material handling area will be enclosed
• Timber fenders will be installed on the jetty
• Acoustic barriers will be installed on the jetty

• Call our 24 hour Tideway Helpdesk 08000 30 80 80 or email [email protected]
• Take a moment to read the latest updates on the noticeboards on our hoardings.
• Email our dedicated Community Relations teams available to answer your questions or meet with you, via [email protected]
• Join our regular Community Liaison Working Group meetings, to attend the meetings or receive the minutes and presentations from past meetings, email [email protected].

You can also follow our progress and what we're doing in our local communities on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook